San Miguel’s Marcio Lassiter. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Marcio Lassiter has been given the clearance by his doctor to do light workout after a bout with bronchopneumonia.
But the veteran shooting guard from San Miguel will need at least a week to be at 90 percent with still a month to go before the opening of the PBA Governors’ Cup.
That’s why Lassiter won’t be flying to Europe to join Gilas Pilipinas in the middle of its 18-day training camp overseas, as per his agent and adviser Marvin Espiritu.
Lassiter was earlier considered a shoo-in for a slot in the national team’s final 12 that will compete in the Fiba Olympic qualifying tournament this July before he got sidelined by illness.
Espiritu thinks there’s no reason for Lassiter to catchup with him expected to miss the first part of camp in the Greek town of Kapernisi.
“It’s now pointless for Marcio to fly to Europe. He’s not ready for the Greece training. Ang problema yun daw yung timeframe na pwede syang humabol sa Gilas,” Espiritu said in a story posted on the PBA website.
“But nobody can say that Marcio pulled out of Gilas. Circumstances stood in the way. Siguro kung dito lang sa Pilipinas ang training ng Gilas, makakahabol si Marcio,” Espiritu said.
By the time Lassiter fully recovers, Gilas will already be in Turkey to play in a tune-up game against the Turkish national team.